The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled a three-year roadmap for the country’s business events sector with a strong focus on supporting international associations.

The roadmap includes greater lead generation and industry consultation, new development programs for local business event practitioners and stronger promotion of Thailand on the international stage.

To achieve this TCEB has devised three key strategies: “upgrading” Thailand’s conventions ecosystem through active lead generation and industry consultation; “upskilling” the industry with targeted development programs; and “upstaging” Thailand on the world stage through international partnerships and hosting key meetings of global significance.

TCEB Senior Vice President, Nichapa Yoswee, said the 2021-23 pathway reflects the shift in TCEB’s role from one of industry support to that of driving growth, and has the full support of the Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA).

It is promising news for the local and international association sector with greater support and encouragement to host conventions in Thailand.

The roadmap also sees creation of a conventions task force to explore innovative ways to reengineer Thailand’s conventions industry. The task force, structured as a think tank that meets quarterly, comprises representatives from academia as well as TICA’s convention experts including venue operators, destination management companies, and professional congress organisers.

To complement the conceptual work undertaken by the task force, TCEB and TICA have also established teams of “Convention Connecters” to respond to market trends with greater agility.

Each team is made up of two people whose expertise in lead generation, bidding, and convention management will help associations build a strong case for organising a convention. The most immediate targets for these “Convention Connecters” are associations related to the so-called “Thailand 4.0” industries – the ones that will power Thailand’s economic transformation such as robotics, medical, agriculture and biotech, food and legal and professional services.

Internationally, TCEB is looking at enhancing relationships with industry associations through a series of partnership programs, and is working towards hosting meetings of international significance such as the Annual Meeting of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, hosted in Thailand in 1991.

“With upgrading, upskilling and upstaging at the core of its three-year roadmap for conventions, TCEB is confident that Thailand will soon reap the benefits of a new pool of highly skilled conventions professionals and a highly connected ecosystem of associations and suppliers,” Mrs Nichapa said.

For further information about hosting meetings in Thailand contact TCEB Australia representative, Nicole Tingey on nicole@clockwiseconsulting.com.au